This kayak technique article on how to perform a YouTube rescue was originally published in Adventure Kayak magazine.
YouTube has changed the world of procrastination. Countless Ali G, Borat and Trailer Park Boys skits, whitewater wipeouts and stupid human tricks stream its bandwidth, just waiting to waste your time. But recently, YouTube has become a bit more practical. Sift through the shock, awe and laughs and you’ll find stuff that’s useful—like this clever modification that combines the classic assisted sea kayak rescue with the reentry technique known as the cowboy scramble.
An effective assisted rescue gets the paddler out of the water and into a dry kayak as quickly as possible. To this end, the T-rescue has long been the standard. It’s stable, efficient and, because of various reentry options, practical for a wide range of paddler sizes, shapes and abilities. Assisted rescue involves three steps: Securing the swimmer, emptying the water from the capsized kayak and assisting the swimmer with reentry. For more advanced paddlers, reentering using the cowboy scramble expedites the process.
1. The first step is the same as that of the classic T-rescue. In the event of capsize, it’s imperative that the swimmer holds onto his boat and paddle. From here, the swimmer works his way to the stern of his overturned kayak while the rescuer grabs onto the bow, forming a T-shaped raft. The swimmer then pushes down on the stern of the over-turned boat while the rescuer slides it upside-down onto her coaming and spray deck. Sliding the capsized kayak across the coaming as far as its front hatch lifts the cockpit out of the water and empties it.
2. The rescuer now rolls the swimmer’s kayak to an upright position and clamps it to her coaming, draping her arms around its bow. This position is surprisingly stable for both the rescuer and the swimmer. In wind and waves, the rescuer’s kayak will naturally drift to form a right angle to the wind, increasing the stability of the raft.
3. Next, the swimmer scrambles aboard his boat, straddling it at the stern, keeping his weight low and sliding towards the cockpit. The swimmer drops butt-first into the seat and then folds his legs into the cockpit.
4. After the swimmer fastens his spray skirt, the rescuer lowers his boat back into the water.
Conor Mihell is a freelance writer and a Paddle Canada instructor-trainer.
This article originally appeared in Adventure Kayak, Spring 2009. Download our freeiPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
